Cover Watch Chinese actress and director Jia Ling’s jaw-dropping weight-loss transformation filming ‘YOLO’ (Photo: Sony Pictures)
Watch Chinese actress and director Jia Ling’s jaw-dropping weight-loss transformation filming ‘YOLO’ (Photo: Sony Pictures)
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From ‘YOLO’ to ‘The Young Woman and the Sea’, get movie night done right with these exciting films and docu-series this weekend
What better way to kick off International Women’s Day 2025 than with movies and shows celebrating women’s resilience, ambition, and triumph. Seven must-watch sports shows come to mind—from the wrestling arenas of India in Dangal to the empowering ice rinks of Harlem Ice, these stories (many inspired by true events) spotlight women defying the odds and pushing boundaries.
Whether it’s the inspiring refugee swimmers of The Swimmers, the adrenaline of Malaysia’s own female basketball team in the 2024 flick Padu, or the jaw-dropping onscreen transformation in the top grossing 2024 Chinese film YOLO, each pick delivers grit, heart, and unshakeable courage.
Ready to be inspired? These stories prove that victory isn’t just about winning—it’s about daring to play.
Read more: Get to know these 8 female warriors who shaped Asian history
Young Woman and the Sea
Daisy Ridley stars as competitive swimmer Gertrude Ederle, who became the first woman to ever swim across the English Channel in 1926. The two hour-long biopic directed by Joachim Rønning is based on Glenn Stout’s book Young Woman and the Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered the English Channel and Inspired the World. It features the incredible true story of Ridley’s awe-inspiring feat across 21 miles from France to England, all while handling various obstacles from naysayers to pressure from her coach to keep slim for her widely publicised swim.
Available on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia
Read more: Gender bender: Actresses who played major roles originally meant for men and rocked them
YOLO
They say that life imitates art, and this is very much the case for the 2024 film YOLO, directed by Chinese actress, comedian and filmmaker Jia Ling. A remake of the hit 2014 Japanese film 100 Yen Love, the moving comedy-drama documents the transformation of main character Le Ying, a listless and overweight college graduate bent on closing herself off from the world after a string of mishaps and disappointments.
In a drastic move, she then decides to take up boxing after meeting a prickly boxing coach at a local gym and undergoes a life-changing transformation, documented on screen (and in real life) as Jia Ling loses weight and gains strength and confidence in the process of filming.
The actress and director also made history, becoming the first female filmmaker to helm the highest grossing Chinese film of the year as YOLO raked in a reported 3.46 billion yuan (RM10 million) at the box office according to Chinese website Maoyan.
Available on Netflix and AppleTV
Padu
Premiering in 2024, Padu is based on true events surrounding the outstanding Malaysian women’s basketball team and their incredible performance at the 2015 SEA Games. This action-packed, emotional film starring Fify Azmi, Jojo Goh, and Thanuja Ananthan is based on true events experienced by the women’s national basketball team from 2013 to 2015.
Since 1977, the team has won 13 gold medals from 20 SEA Games tournaments, traditionally ranking among the top teams in Southeast Asia.
Directed by Faisal Ishak, Padu highlights the experiences of four main characters in the team–namely team captain Nur Izatti Yaakob (played by Fify Azmi), vice captain Mulan or Hui Pin Pang (played by Goh) and Kalaimathi Rajintiran (played by Ananthan) along with Coach Yoong Sze Yuin, played by Lim Mei Fen.
Available on Netflix
Dangal
Renowned filmmaker Aamir Khan directs and stars in this must-see film based on the incredible true story of Indian pro-wrestler Mahavir Singh, a father of four girls who desperately wishes for a son to carry forward his sports legacy and win a gold medal for India.
When his two daughters Geeta and Babita Phogat get into a fight at school one day, Mahavir recognises their talent and makes the decision to train his girls to become world-class wrestlers, ultimately leading them to compete on the global stage despite obstacles and prejudice along the way.
Available on Netflix
Harlem Ice
This five-part docu-series on Disney+ Hotstar follows the coaches and girls of Figure Skating in Harlem as they prepare for the highs, lows and pressures of competitions and performances. Told from the perspectives of girls of colour navigating the ‘ice ceiling’ and dominating their way to a global stage in competitive figure skating, Harlem Ice promises to be an exciting watch with family or friends over a weekend.
The Swimmers
Directed by Sally El-Hosaini and based on a true story, The Swimmers follows the tale of two young sisters, Yusra and Sarah Mardini, and their journey fleeing from war-torn Syria to eventually compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics, where their skills came to the forefront as part of the refugee Olympic team.
Available on Netflix
Bonus: Queen of the Ring (2025)
Out in theatres in the US on International Women’s Day 2025, Queen of the Ring is based on true events, inspired by one of America’s greatest athletes—female professional wrestler Mildred Burke who dominated the sport of boxing to become the first million dollar female athlete in history.
At a time when pro wrestling for women was illegal all over the country, small town single mother Mildred (played by Emily Bett Rickards) takes a chance in a sport that would ultimately change her life forever.
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Previously contributing to Esquire Malaysia, Expat Lifestyle and Newsweek, Tania oversees digital stories across Tatler’s key content pillars, also leading the Front & Female platform exploring issues and topics affecting women today.
